The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-21
Fencing.
American Agridulturist.


statistician estimates the cost of
fencing of our American farms at 81
900. 900 900. or nearly the aggregate of
our national debt. On an average, this
fencing requires renewal every ten years,
necessftating an average outlay of $500,
000, 200 per annum; that is, protection
against our neighbOrs' live stock imposes
the necessity of a permanent investment
in unproductive fixtures of a capital
nearly equal to the capital stock of all
our railroads, and the payment of an ain
nual tax, the proceeds of which nearly
equal the entire revenue of our national
government. This tax, it should be re-
membered, falls exclusively upon the
agricultural interest, as the above esti-
mate does not include the Enclosures of
town los or manufacturing establish
mentS.
have no means at hand of testing the
accuracy of the above estimate, and feel
disposed to reduce it. But making all
reasonable allowance, it Ii evident that
it involves a very large reslduum of
truth. If it is even half as great as rep
resented, the fencing tax is one of the
most grinding impoSts ever levied upon
productive industry. If the farmers of
our country We're compelled by law to
pay 800, 1000, 900 per annum from the
proceeds of their labor by way of direct
| tax to the general government, there
would be no bounds to- their complaints.
| But this tax, for it is real tax, is borne.
if not cheerfully, Yet without serious
murmurings, from the fact that it is ac-
| cepted as one of the necessities of the
| situation.
| But is this idea true? Is it one of the
necessities of agriculture that the crop
raiser be compelled, at bOundless ex-
| pense, to protect himself against the
ravages of the domestic animals of the
| stock raiser? | believe that this is one
| of the untenable prejudices of the oiden
| time that is destined to be exploded by
| the advance of civilization. Instead of
requiring this outlay of the crop raiser,
| / believe that a true social order would
impose this duty upon the stock raiser,
| who can perform it at much smaller ex-
pense. BY the process of soillDg ami
/ mails, the stock raiser is now able To dis
pense with all farm fences, except his
/ line fences and such enclosures as may
be necessary to confine his stock. If his
neighbors would follow his example, his
line fences might also be dispensed with.
The question of personal right Is
whether the individual stock raiser
should be permitted to subject society to
an enormous burden to guard against
the ravages of his animals, or whether
society should require him to guard
atively trifiing expense. L do not be-
lieve that he has any natural right thus
to tax his neighboTs. Legislation is be
ginning to embrace this new idea. Dur
ing visit to Virginia l was informed
by an intelligent farmer that the law al
that State recognized a mans line as his
fence, and protects him against the raw
ages of his neighbOrs' cattle, either 10y
the confiscation of the offending ANNA
or by an action of damages, or both. The
| benefit of the new system Is SO generaily
| appreciated that only one man in tn,
neighborhoOd refused to accept it. Hi,
| appreciation of the claims of Justice
however, had lately been questioned 10y
several prosecutions.
If this policy should be generally
adopted, agriculture will be relieved of ;
grinding Impost. crop production will b,
| cheapened, and subsistence viii becom,
more abundant. The stock raiser, it i
true, will be deprived of the heritage o
the roadside, but by turning his atten
ton to scientific and economic methods
of stock feeding, and by adapting hi
business to its legitimate conditions, h
will place it upon sOunder basis. Tn,
cheapening of general crop raising vii
more than compensate for the genera
confinement of his stock to his feeding
Enclosures. But the material benefit i
not the only one. The removal of thOs'
eyesores. the old worn fences, will ado
to the landscape an element of beaut,
which will minister to the higher ele
ments of our nature. and enhance TIN
attractions of rural life.